Weaving Cultural Identities

Touring Exhibition

Date & Time

Now at

Museum of Surrey
Surrey, BC
May 1 to October 1, 2023

Description

The Weaving Cultural Identities exhibition brings together Indigenous and Islamic communities in a collaborative exploration of weaving traditions and histories, thereby unpacking uneasy issues of belonging, displacement, diaspora, the land, and identity.
The exhibition features 10 woven prayer rugs created in a collaboration involving 10 Coast Salish Indigenous artists and 8 Muslim artists. The project is a visual manifest of prominent, national dialogues surrounding the reconciliation of heritage, and the sharing and celebration of cultural knowledge, symbolism, and self-identification through textile traditions.
The Weaving Cultural Identities touring exhibition is a catalyst for engaging diverse communities, upon completion of the tour in 2024, the Weaving Cultural Identities collaborative prayer rugs will have been exhibited in all 10 provinces and 3 territories across the Nation; Threads Through Time will have exhibited internationally and both will have served as a thoughtful engagement tool in a multitude of communities It is the fervent hope of the Vancouver Biennale that this weaving project will continue to promote and encourage ongoing cross-cultural gatherings, dialogues, and connections amongst varied demographics in urban and rural situations.
The Weaving Cultural Identities project was inspired by Saudi Arabian artist Ajlan Gharem’s public installation Paradise Has Many Gates, a chain-link mosque installed in Sen̓áḵw – Vanier Park, Vancouver, British Columbia as part of the 2018-2021 Vancouver Biennale’s curatorial theme of “re-IMAGE-n.” By reimagining Vancouver’s Indigenous and migrant communities’ loss of identity and sacred traditions through displacement, we can work towards reintroducing traditional practices that reflect spiritual healing and cultural restoration.
Read the exhibition catalogue (PDF)
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